Costasiella nonatoi

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Costasiella nonatoi
Costasiella nonatoi.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Heterobranchia
Family: Costasiellidae
Genus: Costasiella
Species:
C. nonatoi
Binomial name
Costasiella nonatoi
Marcus & Marcus, 1960
Synonyms

Placida nonatoiMarcus & Marcus, 1970

Costasiella nonatoi is a species of sacoglossan sea slug in the genus Costasiella . It is one of few species in the genus that is not photosynthetic. [1] The description of this species was based on two specimens which were serially sectioned and designated as the holotype. [2] [3] The species was named after Dr. Edmundo Nonato, a professor at the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo. [2]

Contents

Geographic range

Costasiella nonatoi inhabits the coastal areas of the Caribbean sea and some of the Atlantic Ocean. Individuals can be found off the shores of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Panama, and Curaçao. [4] [5] [2]

Habitat

Resides in warm marine waters, specifically burrowing within different species of green algae.

Physical description

This slug is typically between 2 and 4 mm and is primarily black in colour with opaque white or transparent tips of rhinophores, cerata, foot, tail, and periocular area. [2] [1]

Genetic information

Five sequences exist within the barcode of life database of this species with barcodes. [6] Multiple portions of mitochondrial DNA have been sequenced along with consumed chloroplasts. [7]

Phylogeny and taxonomy

Phylogenetic analysis places C. nonatoi as an outgroup . This species is less closely related to other Costasiella species and is also visually distinct. [5] It was the second Costasiella species ever described, and was described by Marcus & Marcus in 1960. [2] [3] It then was reassigned to the genus Placida in 1970, again by Marcus & Marcus. Finally, in 1982 it was placed back into the Costasiella genus by Marcus & Marcus where it has remained since. [4] [3] [2]

Behaviour

Closely related species, like Costasiella kuroshimae , along with some other Sacoglossan species carry out a process called functional kleptoplasty. This is a process in which the digestion of algal plastids consumed by the organisms is delayed. The retention of the plastids provides nutrition the to gastropods via photosynthesis. Costasiella nonatoi rapidly digests the plastids of the algae it feeds on, therefore not carrying out functional kleptoplasty. [8]

Slugs of this species tend to burrow into the thallus of Avrainvillea to feed as well as deposit their egg masses. Costasiella ocellifera, a closely related and visually similar species also resides on this algae, but tends not to burrow within it. [9]

Diet

It has previously been suggested that C. nonatoi feeds on Avrainvillea sp., a genus of green algae. [8] [9] [10] However, new evidence suggests that Avrainvillea sp. may only be consumed by functional kleptoplasts. C. nonatoi may feed on unidentified species of algae related to Bryopsis and Pseudochlorodesmis according to barcode analysis. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opisthobranchia</span> Informal group of gastropods

Opisthobranchs is a now informal name for a large and diverse group of specialized complex gastropods which used to be united in the subclass Opisthobranchia. That taxon is no longer considered to represent a monophyletic grouping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacoglossa</span> Clade of gastropods

Sacoglossa, commonly known as the sacoglossans or the "solar-powered sea slugs", are a superorder of small sea slugs and sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks that belong to the clade Heterobranchia. Sacoglossans live by ingesting the cellular contents of algae, hence they are sometimes called "sap-sucking sea slugs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kleptoplasty</span> Form of algae symbiosis

Kleptoplasty or kleptoplastidy is a process in symbiotic relationships whereby plastids, notably chloroplasts from algae, are sequestered by the host. The word is derived from Kleptes (κλέπτης) which is Greek for thief. The alga is eaten normally and partially digested, leaving the plastid intact. The plastids are maintained within the host, temporarily continuing photosynthesis and benefiting the host.

<i>Elysia chlorotica</i> Species of gastropod

Elysia chlorotica is a small-to-medium-sized species of green sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusc. This sea slug superficially resembles a nudibranch, yet it does not belong to that clade. Instead it is a member of the clade Sacoglossa, the sap-sucking sea slugs. Some members of this group use chloroplasts from the algae they eat for photosynthesis, a phenomenon known as kleptoplasty. Elysia chlorotica is one species of such "solar-powered sea slugs". It lives in a subcellular endosymbiotic relationship with chloroplasts of the marine heterokont alga Vaucheria litorea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limapontiidae</span> Family of gastropods

Limapontiidae is a taxonomic family of small to minute sacoglossan sea slugs. These are marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks.

<i>Elysia crispata</i> Species of gastropod

Elysia crispata, common name the lettuce sea slug or lettuce slug, is a large and colorful species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk.

<i>Elysia timida</i> Species of gastropod

Elysia timida is a species of sacoglossan sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk. Found in the Mediterranean and nearby parts of the Atlantic, it is herbivorous, feeding on various algae in shallow water.

<i>Elysia pusilla</i> Species of gastropod

Elysia pusilla is a species of small sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Plakobranchidae. It is a sacoglossan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juliidae</span> Family of gastropods

Juliidae, common name the bivalved gastropods, is a family of minute sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks or micromollusks in the superfamily Oxynooidea, an opisthobranch group.

Alderia willowi is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Limapontiidae. It is a sacoglossan.

<i>Plakobranchus ocellatus</i> Species of gastropod

Plakobranchus ocellatus is a species of sea slug, a sacoglossan, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Plakobranchidae. It is found in shallow water in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Bosellia</i> Genus of gastropods

Bosellia is a genus of sea slugs in the family Plakobranchidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllodesmium</span> Genus of gastropods

Phyllodesmium is a genus of predatory sea slugs, aeolid nudibranchs, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Facelinidae.

<i>Costasiella</i> Genus of gastropods

Costasiella is a genus of sacoglossan sea slugs, a shell-less marine opisthobranchid gastropod mollusk in the family Costasiellidae.

<i>Costasiella kuroshimae</i> Species of mollusc (sea slug)

Costasiella kuroshimae—also known as a "leaf slug", or "leaf sheep"—is a species of sacoglossan sea slug. Costasiella kuroshimae are shell-less marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Costasiellidae. Despite being animals they indirectly perform photosynthesis, via kleptoplasty.

<i>Plakobranchus</i> Genus of gastropods

Plakobranchus is a genus of sea slugs, sacoglossans, marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusks in the family Plakobranchidae.

<i>Costasiella ocellifera</i> Species of gastropod

Costasiella ocellifera is a small (5–13 mm) species of sea slug, a shell-less marine gastropod mollusk in the family Costasiellidae. Costasiella ocellifera, and other members of the Costasiellidae family are often mistakenly classified as nudibranchs because they superficially resemble other species of that group, but they are actually a part of the Sacoglossa superorder of sea slugs, also known as the “sap-sucking sea slugs,” "crawling leaves" or the "solar-powered sea slugs." C. ocellifera was discovered by Simroth in 1895, and was initially classified as Doto ocellifera. The Brazilian species, Costasiella liliana, is a synonym of C. ocellifera.Costasiella ocellifera shows long-term retention of functional kleptoplasty.

<i>Elysia marginata</i> Species of sea slug

Elysia marginata is a marine gastropod in the family Plakobranchidae. It is known for its ability to regenerate its whole body and heart after autotomizing it from its head.

<i>Elysia atroviridis</i> Species of sea slug

Elysia atroviridis is a benthic species of sea slug belonging to the family Plakobranchidae native to the northwest pacific. E. atroviridis slugs live up to three meters deep, and are generally dark green in skin colour with small, black spots all around the body. E. atroviridis is a member of the superorder Sacoglossa, and thus possesses the ability to perform kleptoplasty. E. atroviridis and Elysia marginata are notable for possessing the ability to completely autotomize their bodies and grow them back within 20 days.

References

  1. 1 2 Goodheart, Jessica Ann Marie (2017). Phylogenomics, Systematics, and Evolution within the Nudibranch Group Cladobranchia (Mollusca: Gastropoda) (Thesis). Digital Repository at the University of Maryland. doi:10.13016/M24J0B00J.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Marcus, Eveline. Opisthobranchs from American Atlantic warm waters. OCLC   1255394333.
  3. 1 2 3 Jensen, Kathe R.; Krug, Patrick J.; Dupont, Anne; Nishina, Masayoshi (December 2014). "A review of taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships in the genus Costasiella (Heterobranchia: Sacoglossa), with a description of a new species". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 80 (5): 562–574. doi: 10.1093/mollus/eyu048 . ISSN   0260-1230.
  4. 1 2 Marcus, Ernst (1970). Opisthobranchs from Curaçao and faunistically related regions. OCLC   925681534.
  5. 1 2 Goodheart, Jessica A.; Ellingson, Ryan A.; Vital, Xochitl G.; Galvão Filho, Hilton C.; McCarthy, Jennifer B.; Medrano, Sabrina M.; Bhave, Vishal J.; García-Méndez, Kimberly; Jiménez, Lina M.; López, Gina; Hoover, Craig A.; Awbrey, Jaymes D.; De Jesus, Jessika M.; Gowacki, William; Krug, Patrick J. (2016-07-15). "Identification guide to the heterobranch sea slugs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from Bocas del Toro, Panama". Marine Biodiversity Records. 9 (1): 56. doi: 10.1186/s41200-016-0048-z . hdl: 1903/27582 . ISSN   1755-2672. S2CID   89504157.
  6. ↑ "Costasiella nonatoi | Taxonomy Browser | BOLDSYSTEMS". www.boldsystems.org. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  7. ↑ "costasiella nonatoi - Nucleotide - NCBI". www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  8. 1 2 3 Christa, Gregor (May 2014). "Functional kleptoplasty in a limapontioidean genus: Phylogeny, food preferences and photosynthesis in Costasiella, with a focus onC. Ocellifera(Gastropoda: Sacoglossa)". Journal of Molluscan Studies. 80 (5): 499–507. doi: 10.1093/mollus/eyu026 .
  9. 1 2 Clark, Kerry (April 27, 1984). "New Records and Synonymies of Bermuda Opisthobranchs". The Nautilus. 98 (2): 85–97.
  10. ↑ Clark, Kerry (1994). "ASCOGLOSSAN (=SACOGLOSSA) MOLLUSCS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS: RARE MARINE INVERTEBRATES AT SPECIAL RISK". Bulletin of Marine Science. 54 (3): 900–916.
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